Humanities resources to support healthcare professionals and patients
On the long flats north of the river An elder in a leather jacket Is hitchhiking to his daughter’s funeral From: Poems the size of photographs by Les Murray. Commentary This short poem by Les Murray gives us an image of an Aboriginal elder in the Australian outback. Aboriginal peoples suffer from poverty, very poor Read More …
You have a big heart, said Dr Broadbent, turning a compliment into a fatal condition. Poem by Olive M Ritch, 2018. Commentary An unfortunate pun. A nice example of the confusions inherent in communicating with patients. Orcadian poet Olive M. Ritch has written a number of poems on medical themes, and is a course tutor Read More …
Wit (2001) – “And death shall be no more, death, thou shalt die” Commentary Where do literature and medicine intersect? Mike Nichols 2001 movie Wit, based on the prizewinning play by Margaret Edson, tests that, as a literature scholar tries to make sense of her impending death. Several writers speak of finding meaning in the Read More …
I scowl towards his voice. He says the map marks how far vision goes. If I could creep up close I’d learn the journey. His technique restricts me to a chair so he can track how far I travel down the chart alone before I pause. I grope in the third line – my limit Read More …
When I consider how to represent my sixth of working light, my words collide with your fear of dark. Your visions hide the blindness born with me. You mourned sight sent before you into death. Let me invent a new account–half- light to place beside your grief, the beauty of blind life denied. I’d rather Read More …
When I Consider How My Light Is Spent When I consider how my light is spent, E’re half my days, in this dark world and wide, And that one Talent which is death to hide, Lodg’d with me useless, though my Soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present My true account, least Read More …
Hollie McNish. So no more will I sit on these cold toilet lids No matter how embarrassed I feel as she sips Because in this country of billboards, covered in tits I think we should try to get used to this Commentary A rattling, lilting, lyrical rant at the absurdity of society’s contradictory attitudes to Read More …
I had overestimated the size of the square in the middle of town by quite a lot. But it was still big, more than big enough for a hospital. Two operating theatres, one of them in a truck! an emergency room and maybe eighty beds? We’d have to take care of the cars of Read More …
“Know him,” the Neurosurgeon said, as we Huddled expectantly, our white coats gleaming. Armed with newly honed skills in taking a history We enquired about headache and vomiting. “No, really know him,” the Consultant insisted, although we did not understand. “Listen without assuming, discover who he is and never suppose what his passions are or Read More …
One thing you’re paid in cash for As a junior doctor Is filling in forms for the crematorium Finally, time To study the file, to catalogue Dying of 1a, 1b, exacerbated by c And wish you knew this all before You summarise, we worked hard But death worked harder Sometimes, the more you like them Read More …